Emojis
ForTestingPurposeAs we ventured deep into the alley, the smell of blood filled the air, and several figures rushed toward us.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“What are these things?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Be careful, Theo.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThere were about ten of them in total. Though they were filled with murderous intent, their skills were nothing special.
EmojisForTestingPurposeTheir leader seemed to be at best around the 5th level of power, if that.
EmojisForTestingPurposeSylvia, of course, and the knight escorting her had no trouble taking them down.
EmojisForTestingPurposeI also managed to handle them without much difficulty.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘This level is easy now.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeEven though multiple enemies attacked simultaneously, I finished them off without a single scratch.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘Looks like the training is paying off.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeWell, aside from that, I’ve been through so many real battles recently that it’s probably also a factor.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Are you okay?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Yeah. So don’t make a fuss.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeSylvia approached the leader, who had regained consciousness among those we spared.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“H-Hic… D-Don’t come closer. This is our territory!”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“I don’t care. Just answer my questions, and I’ll let you go.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“R-Really?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Yes. As long as you don’t do anything stupid.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeHe introduced himself as Verial, one of the gangs controlling the slums.
EmojisForTestingPurposeNormally, they avoid targeting people who look as noble as Sylvia, fearing the consequences.
EmojisForTestingPurposeBut this time, they had no choice. They had to protect this area to survive.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Those lunatics told us to stop anyone from getting close to that woman!”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“But you said you don’t know anything.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Well…”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThey had tried to rob some people who had drifted into the slums a few months ago but were overpowered instead.
EmojisForTestingPurposeTheir families were taken hostage, and they were threatened to keep watch over the woman, ensuring no one approached her.
EmojisForTestingPurposeIf they did, their families would be spared. They had no choice but to attack us.
EmojisForTestingPurposeAs for me, I didn’t care who was behind it, but Sylvia seemed to think differently.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Did you see anyone who looked like this?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“…It was a dark night, so I don’t remember well.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Useless.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“B-But I do remember something! There were long fangs at the end of the scabbard. I don’t know if they were from a beast or a monster, but I remember them clearly!”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Draw it.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeFinding a potential clue, Sylvia handed Verial a pen and paper.
EmojisForTestingPurposeWith trembling hands, he sketched the only clue he could remember, then broke down in tears, pressing his forehead to the ground.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Please, spare me. My family will starve without me. Please, show mercy…”
EmojisForTestingPurposeHe begged fervently, rubbing his hands together until they were raw.
EmojisForTestingPurposeWe decided to deal with his fate later and focus on uncovering the identity of the woman.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Is she inside here?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Yes. I haven’t seen her since the first day. All I do is leave food by the door every noon.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThe innermost part of the slums was a dilapidated ruin.
EmojisForTestingPurposeFrom the outside, it looked like a place where only insects thrived, but the woman was said to be living there.
EmojisForTestingPurposeKnock knock.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“…No response.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThere was something resembling a door, so I knocked, but there was no answer.
EmojisForTestingPurposeAfter several attempts, there was still no sign of movement.
EmojisForTestingPurposeEventually, I forced the door open and entered.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Ugh, what’s with all this dust?”
EmojisForTestingPurposeAs I brushed aside a spiderweb hanging at the entrance, clouds of dust swirled, obscuring my vision.
EmojisForTestingPurposeWhen the dust settled and the interior became visible, we couldn’t help but be shocked.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“…Swords?”
EmojisForTestingPurposeYes, scattered across the floor were swords of various designs.
EmojisForTestingPurposeThey were piled up so high that one wrong step could cut you.
EmojisForTestingPurposeCarefully navigating through them, we moved further inside.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Tsk, no wonder the smell of blood was so strong.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThe spacious area was filled with what appeared to be human corpses, neatly stacked.
EmojisForTestingPurposeThere were no signs of battle, meaning they had been brought here already dead.
EmojisForTestingPurposeIt was possible they had been killed in a surprise attack, but that only made sense if the numbers were small.
EmojisForTestingPurposeDozens of bodies in such a confined space without a single trace of struggle? Impossible.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘They’re all in terrible shape.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeThe state of the corpses was far from good.
EmojisForTestingPurposeThey were mutilated in various ways, with some having their organs or eyeballs precisely removed.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Sigh, it’s a good thing we left Verial outside.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Yeah. True.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThe emotions I sensed from our conversation with him didn’t seem fake.
EmojisForTestingPurposeHe didn’t seem capable of lying, anyway.
EmojisForTestingPurposeBut if he had come in here, he might have gone berserk.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘Who knows? Their families might be here too.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeThey said their families were taken hostage, but they hadn’t seen them in months. Occasionally, they were given personal belongings, but that wasn’t enough to confirm they were still alive.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“By the way, it’s easy to find her.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Yeah.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeIn the middle of the pile of corpses lay a figure breathing faintly.
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe had pink hair.
EmojisForTestingPurposeEven covered in dust and grime, her vibrant hair made it clear she was the artisan Sylvia was looking for.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Let’s wait until she wakes up.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThere were no significant external injuries, but her body was emaciated, her skin clinging to her bones, and her muscles twisted.
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe looked like she could die at any moment, but her breathing was steady.
EmojisForTestingPurposeMeaning, she was just asleep.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘Honestly, I didn’t expect her to be in this state.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe was a skilled blacksmith.
EmojisForTestingPurposeEven without considering her family’s reputation for crafting demonic swords, the weapons she created were among the best on the continent.
EmojisForTestingPurposeIan had once tried to find someone who could make a weapon to his liking but was disappointed when he heard she had died.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘I didn’t even think about it since there were no clues, but I didn’t expect Sylvia to find her.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeHer name was Aldonia Helena.
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe was once praised as the most talented member of the now-extinct Aldonia family.
EmojisForTestingPurposeAfter becoming an adult, she cut ties with her family due to their excessive interference and built her reputation alone.
EmojisForTestingPurposeAfter the Aldonia family was wiped out, her whereabouts became unknown, and she was presumed dead.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘And she was here all along.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeHer condition clearly wasn’t the result of just a few months.
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe must have been imprisoned for years.
EmojisForTestingPurposeSeeing her emaciated body lying among the corpses, it was clear she wasn’t here by choice.
EmojisForTestingPurpose***
EmojisForTestingPurposeIt took a long time for her to wake up.
EmojisForTestingPurposeA full day passed before she finally stirred, rubbing her eyes, which were shadowed by deep dark circles.
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe looked panicked when she saw us, but when we offered to help her escape, she agreed without hesitation.
EmojisForTestingPurposeBut that wasn’t the problem.
EmojisForTestingPurposeWhat Sylvia proposed to Helena was so unexpected that it was hard to comprehend.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“So, what’s this about becoming the family head?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“It was necessary.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Sigh… No wonder things felt off.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeSylvia, as the head of the Winstred Duchy, formally offered to employ Helena and promised to eliminate any threats to her safety under the Winstred name.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“But Sylvia, you seemed to know who imprisoned Helena. What’s with the fangs?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“…I’ll be honest with you, Theo. The person with those fangs is the former Duke, my father.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“W-What? So the reason you came all the way here was…”
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe hadn’t come to this remote place just to find an artisan.
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe had been chasing the former Duke, who had caused trouble before she inherited the title, to deal with him before he could cause more problems.
EmojisForTestingPurposeHelena was more of a bonus than the main objective.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘How did things get so unpredictable?’
EmojisForTestingPurposeIt was surprising that Sylvia had become the family head.
EmojisForTestingPurposeThe fact that she now wielded that level of power was beyond my expectations, and I didn’t understand why she had taken the position.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘When the special unit was formed to subdue the demon god, Sylvia wasn’t the family head yet.’
EmojisForTestingPurposeThe puzzle pieces that had been out of place since I first met Sylvia were starting to fit.
EmojisForTestingPurposeLike why she was so free to move around during the academy term or why she had been holed up in the training grounds before heading to the eastern front.
EmojisForTestingPurposeI didn’t ask for the details, but it wasn’t a bad thing.
EmojisForTestingPurposeBeing the family head gave her a lot of power, especially as the head of a duchy.
EmojisForTestingPurpose‘And with the duchy’s resources…’
EmojisForTestingPurposeAfter Helena finished her meal and calmed down, we began to piece together how she ended up here.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“It was three years ago. I was running a small forge in the Kingdom of Aldonia.
EmojisForTestingPurposeI had hidden my identity, so I was just known as a talented up-and-coming female blacksmith.
EmojisForTestingPurposeNot too famous, just known among other artisans.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeShe paused, as if recalling the memory, then sighed deeply before continuing.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Then one day, they came to me. They said if I made a demonic sword for them, they would help me restore my fallen family.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“So you accepted?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Of course not.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeI thought they were insane. I set the forge on fire and ran.
EmojisForTestingPurposeI even had a secret escape route prepared, but I was caught soon after.
EmojisForTestingPurposeI was dragged around, forced to make swords like a puppet, and eventually ended up imprisoned here for months.
EmojisForTestingPurpose“What about those corpses?”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“…They brought them here. They said something about needing human souls for the demonic swords.”
EmojisForTestingPurpose“Ah, but that’s just a rumor. Demonic swords often go out of control and cause accidents, so people think they need special materials, but that’s not really the case.”
EmojisForTestingPurposeThere were still some doubts, but for now, I had to accept it. Sylvia seemed to know the whole story.
EmojisForTestingPurposeOnce Helena regained her composure, we prepared to leave.
EmojisForTestingPurposeIn truth, we could have just fought our way out, but taking her with us was a different matter.